Shifters Rule (Rule Series) (23 page)
Then he thought about Blanca.
She was a danger to everyone around him.
His former cat was too good at becoming other people.
To Silver he said, “We need to come up with a code word so Blanca can’t fool us again.”
“Good idea.”
Silver rested a hand on his bent knee.
“What word should we use?”
“I don’t know.
It needs to be something simple.”
“We’ll need to tell mom and Ian.
She likes to pretend to be them sometimes.”
He nodded.
“On second thought, if we take her down, she won’t be able to distract us anymore.
Let’s take my kitty out of the equation.
Then
Jersey
won’t have a helper.”
Silver liked the suggestion.
The big smile on her face was his reward for coming up with such a brilliant idea.
She said, “I have no idea how we can get to her without
Jersey
knowing.
We don’t even know where we can find her.”
“Leave that part to me.”
Jack jumped up and went to his bedroom.
He rifled through two dresser drawers before he found one of Blanca’s favorite toys.
Silver stood in the doorway, a confused expression on her face.
Her brows knitted together.
“Do you think she’s going to return for a cat toy?” she asked.
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he closed his eyes and concentrated on Blanca.
He focused on wanting to know where she was and what she was doing.
There was a flash of electricity followed by a quick scene.
He didn’t stay long.
Taking a brief peak at her surroundings, he mentally returned to his bedroom in mere seconds.
“I know where she is.”
He smiled at Silver and grabbed his car keys.
“Let’s go.”
.
*****
.
The plan was simple.
Jack watched from the other side of a gigantic bush.
His eyes were glued to Silver as she walked around in the open, acting as bait.
Blanca wouldn’t be able to resist torturing Silver some more.
They were counting on it.
Before his stupid shape-shifting cat knew what was happening, he was going to take her out of the picture, leaving
Jersey
vulnerable.
At least that was the plan.
He was horribly uncomfortable, but he willed himself not to fidget.
Not even
yet, it was already hot and humid.
His shirt stuck to him, damp with perspiration.
He desperately wanted to pull it away from his skin.
The only reason he didn’t was because he was afraid Blanca would see or hear the bush move.
Then it would be game over for them.
Silver paced back and forth in front of Isobel’s tomb in the hot sunlight.
For some reason Blanca had been hanging around the crypt.
Maybe
Jersey
was afraid Isobel would wake up.
It seemed like a fitting place to put an end to Blanca’s reign of terror.
He sniffed the air, tried to pinpoint her location.
She was close by, very close.
A few seconds later, Andrew Reign approached Silver with his arms open wide.
“Honey, I’ve been looking everywhere for you.
Where have you been?”
Silver shook her head.
“You evil witch!
You have gone too far this time.”
“What are you talking about?”
Andrew raised an eyebrow at her.
“It’s me, honey.
Come over here and give daddy a hug.”
“How about if I kill you instead?”
Andrew wagged a finger at her.
“Now, now.
I raised you better than that.
You really need to learn some manners.”
White-hot anger filled Jack to overflowing.
He almost raced out and attacked Blanca physically.
Stopping himself wasn’t easy.
He had to focus on the plan.
Blanca was going to be sorry she ever messed with Silver.
Pretending to be her dead father, it was evil even for Blanca.
Using every ounce of power he had in his body, Jack sucked Blanca into a dream.
His eyes rolled back into his head and he fell.
He was in the dream before he hit the ground.
.
*****
.
Blanca waited for him in a small clearing.
Spinning in a circle several times, she reminded him of a cat chasing its tail.
Eyes wide, she dashed for a line of trees.
When she spotted him, she stopped abruptly.
She hissed at him.
“You did this?
You brought me here?”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“Do you really need to ask?”
He shoved hands into the pockets of his jeans, enjoying the sight of her at a loss for a change.
“You have shifted your shape for the last time.
I hope you enjoyed it.”
Blanca growled.
“There isn’t anything you can do to me.
This is just a stupid dream, isn’t it?
Jersey
told me about your little dreams.”
He was betting
Jersey
hadn’t told her everything.
Jack moved to stand directly in front of her.
He grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to meet his probing gaze.
There wasn’t anything she could do to evade him.
He reached deep for her soul.
It was cold and slimy.
In the real world sucking souls only worked on werewolves, but in dreamland anything and everything was possible to him who believed.
Since it was Jack’s dream he was betting he could get what he wanted from her.
The woods disappeared, replaced by a carnival attraction—House of Mirrors.
Jack almost forgot what he was supposed to be doing.
Distracted by the mirrors, he nearly lost his grip on her soul.
Too bad for her she was unarmed when it came to soul-snatching.
She wasn’t a werewolf, so she didn’t have the power.
Blanca cast a multitude of reflections.
None of them looked like her.
Some were women, and some were men.
There were even a few non-human entities.
Each one changed, quickly moving from image to image.
Had she really been all these things in her lifetime?
How long had she been wreaking havoc on the earth?
He only gave them a passing glance because he had to concentrate on taking her down.
Her many images changed with increasing speed as he reached deep into her eyes with invisible hands.
He shivered, hating the feel of her soul.
Her mouth went slack.
A bit of drool rolled down her chin.
She collapsed.
It was that easy.
.
*****
.
“Jack!”
Hands shook him hard.
“Jack, can you hear me?”
He was flat on the ground behind the bush he’d been using as a hiding place.
Silver hovered over him.
Her hands continued to shake him, eyes filled with concern and fear.
He wanted to tell her it was okay, but it took him a moment to recover his voice.
“It worked,” she said.
“It was amazing.
She was taunting me, pretending to be my dad, and then
Boom
!
Her face went blank.
It was like she was a robot that someone turned off in mid-sentence.”
Jack struggled to his feet.
“Show me.”
With a smile Silver took him by the hand and led him to the spot where Blanca remained frozen, seemingly lifeless.
Only she wasn’t in human form anymore.
She’d reverted to her feline counterpart.
The possibility hadn’t occurred to him, but it made everything so much easier.
Silver led him to the spot where the cat lay motionless.
Next to her, resting near a front paw was the coin
Jersey
had given her.
Jack grabbed it first.
While staring down at the thing, he flashed back to the scene where William plotted with Lovely’s father in the woods.
Her father had placed a magical spell on it, used it to make William stronger than his brother.
Jack wondered if the coin still had power.
Frowning, Silver asked, “What’s that?”
“It’s good luck,” he replied, hoping it was true.
He couldn’t tell Silver the truth about the coin without telling her about her part in it, that she was Lovely reincarnated.
After pocketing the coin, Jack picked the limp cat up and examined it.
He held it over his head.
It was still alive, still breathing.
Part of him wanted to twist her furry little neck until the bones snapped.
Another part of him felt sorry for her.
Holding her against his chest, he absently petted her while talking to Silver.
“We can lock her up.
As long as we keep werewolves away from her, especially
Jersey
, she won’t be capable of pulling any more dirty tricks.”
“Good.”
Silver raised an eyebrow at him, and he realized he was stroking the little monster’s fur-covered head.
Grimacing, he stopped.
Sometimes habits were hard to break.
He added, “
Jersey
is going to flip when he realizes he’s lost her.
We need to take cover fast.”
.
*****
Chapter Twenty:
A CAT FOR A DOG
.
.
Early in the morning, Ian descended the stairs wearing a black robe.
He was drying his hair with a fluffy green towel.
Jack and Silver were in the living room with him sitting in his father’s chair and her on the couch.
There was a closed cardboard box on the coffee table.
They were both staring at it when Ian entered the room.
Ian looked at it and frowned.
“What do you have in the container?”
“A rat,” Jack replied, tongue in cheek.
“Must be an awfully big rat.”
Silver half-smiled at Ian while speaking to Jack.
“Don’t tease him.”
To Ian she said, “It’s Blanca.
Jack and I caught her last night.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Ian stood next to Silver and said, “I wanted to apologize for making you cry yesterday.”
“It wasn’t your fault.
Really.
It had nothing to do with you.
I’m still missing my dad is all.”
Ian pulled her off the couch and gave her a big hug.
“I spoke to your mom, and she’s agreed we should all take part in the last stand with
Jersey
.
Even you.”
“That’s great!
How did you get her to change her mind?”
“I simply pointed out that
Jersey
won’t let you stay out of it, and we have a better chance of survival if we stick together.”
He eyed the box again with a grim expression.
“What exactly are you going to do with that thing?”
Jack shrugged.
He hadn’t given it much thought beyond taking Blanca away from
Jersey
.
Job well done, he didn’t know what should come next.
He could leave her in the box.
Maybe.
Or they could place her in the tomb beside Isobel.
Burying her in the backyard sounded like a good idea.
Ian said, “I want your word you are not going after Jersey Clifford on your own.
We are the four musketeers from this point on.
Understood?”
Jack reluctantly nodded.
Ian held a hand out.
“Shake on it?”
With a sigh Jack got to his feet and crossed the room to take Ian’s offered hand.
The moment their fingers touched he realized his mistake.
It wasn’t an electric shock this time, but more like an invisible fire that spread from the tips of his fingers to his elbow.
Burning with the intensity of a thousand freshly struck matches, it climbed higher until the setting changed, and he found himself inside of Ian.
.
*****
.
“Don’t take it too hard.”
Ian didn’t glance up from his position on the couch.
Vanessa placed a hand on his shoulder before circling around to sit next to him.
He didn’t have to ask what she meant.
It was obvious.
His son had rejected him with a cold finality, leaving no room for discussion.
Vanessa could place a pretty spin on it if she wanted to, but she could not change the facts.
He cleared his throat before saying, “Jack is stubborn like his father.
I very much doubt he will do a complete turn around and want to be a part of my life.”
“It could happen.”
“He doesn’t know everything yet,” Ian said, grim expression.
“He doesn’t know his power to touch a person and see their memories comes from me, passed down from father to son.
He thinks it’s a werewolf power because
Jersey
can do it.”
Ian’s mind flashed through a sequence of events he’d seen over the years.
He had intruded on Jack and Billy’s life more often than either of them would ever know.
He’d seen them in bad times and in good.
There had been at least a hundred times he’d wanted to race back to reclaim them.
Once they’d hit their teens he had stopped spying on them because the process was too painful.
He also felt like he didn’t have the right to intrude on their lives.
They weren’t his anymore.
“I lost my sons years ago, along with the only woman I’ve ever loved,” he said.
“Maybe I don’t deserve a second chance to be a father.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Why not?
It’s true.”
Inside of Ian, Jack saw the truth.
Nothing was hidden from him.
He eagerly searched Ian’s memories.
It was like flipping through a ton of files on a major computer.
He scanned them, looking for anything and everything connected to him or his family.
There was too much to consider at length.
One gleaming revelation stood out among the chaotic mess.
Ian Carver, his father, loved him.
It was written on his heart.
The man was willing to do anything for his sons, even though he talked a good game about wanting to kill Billy.
He was willing to do anything for Jack.
If he ever had to kill one of them, it would utterly destroy him.
“Jack!”
.
*****
.
He snapped back to reality and quickly removed his hand from Ian’s.
Both Ian and Silver stared at him in wonder.
They knew what had happened.
He didn’t want to tell them what he’d seen and heard.
First, he wanted to go over it alone.
It was hard to believe the cold man standing in front of him had such a strong love for him.
Not to mention for Billy.
Ian raised an eyebrow.
Silver frowned.
Before anyone could say anything, Vanessa strolled into the room carrying her large purse.
She was digging in it for something while walking.
It was amazing she didn’t trip over the table next to the couch.
Somehow she knew exactly where everything was without looking up.
When she couldn’t find what she was searching for, she dumped the contents on top of the coffee table.
A tube of lipstick, eyeliner, and a few coins rolled off the edge.
She pushed the other miscellaneous items around with frantic movements.
“What’s up?” Silver asked.
“I can’t find my wedding ring.
I’m sure I put it in my purse yesterday when I was cleaning out the car.
There was gunk under the seat, and I didn’t want to get anything on my ring.”
Panic entered her voice.
“I have to find it.”
Ian put an arm around her and took over the situation.
“No need to worry.
We’ll find it.
Won’t we?”
Silver’s head bobbed up and down.
Concern made her eyes bigger than usual.
She turned them on Jack, silently requesting his help.
He pushed Silver toward the opening between living room and foyer and told Vanessa, “We’ll search your car, every inch.
Maybe you dropped it.”
Vanessa nodded at them.
Jack didn’t make it to the front door.
A funny feeling assaulted his senses.
His eyes rolled back in his head.
He knew he was being snatched away, taken to
Jersey
’s dream before it actually happened, but he didn’t have time to warn Silver.
He was in the woods before his body hit the floor.
It didn’t take long for
Jersey
to appear at his side.
Jersey
’s pale blue eyes were damp with emotion.
He pointed an accusing finger and growled.
“You!
You took Blanca, and I want her back!”
He didn’t deny it.
“Sorry.
If you kill us at the big battle, you can have her then.
Of course, you’ll have to find her.”
“I want her now!”
Jersey
clenched his fists.
“Perhaps you are having trouble understanding me.
I don’t expect to get her for nothing.
I am willing to trade for her.”
“What could you possibly have that I would want?”
“Your brother.”
Jersey
smirked.
“That’s right.
I have him.
As soon as I realized you took Blanca, I went to the Miller place and snatched him.
He didn’t exactly go with me of his own accord, but I have him all the same.”
“If you hurt him, I’ll…”
“You’ll what, Jack?
Try to kill me?
Those kinds of threats are becoming a bit redundant.
Don’t you agree?
Give me Blanca, and I will give you your brother.”
He didn’t have a choice.
“Where do we do the trade?”
“Cemetery.
Come alone.”
.
*****
.
Thunder rumbled overhead, and lightning streaked across the sky.
A summer storm arrived just in time to make the exchange difficult.
Jack wasn’t alone.
He glanced at his companions.
Silver, Vanessa, and Ian made a tight line beside him.
Their eyes focused on a distant point where Jersey Clifford waited.
Jersey
stood on the opposite side of the cemetery.
They couldn’t see the expression on his face from where they stopped, but Jack knew he was furious at having his orders disobeyed.
Come alone
.
Not an easy command to follow.
Upon waking from the forced dream, Jack found himself surrounded by his friends.
Ian demanded to know what
Jersey
wanted.
Silver refused to let him leave without an explanation.
Jersey
hadn’t given him a lot of time to mess around, so he’d reluctantly told them about
Jersey
’s demands.
They in turn had insisted on accompanying him.
If he hadn’t agreed, they’d still be arguing.
“I’ll meet him in the middle,” Jack said.
“Alone.”
He needed a chance to explain, a chance to appease the angry werewolf.
Otherwise, he’d never get his brother back home in one piece.
Billy was the most important part of this plan.
Jack focused on his brother.
Whatever
Jersey
wanted in exchange for Billy,
Jersey
was going to get.
“He’ll tell me how he wants to do this.”
“I’ll come with you,” Silver said, hopeful expression.
“No,” both Jack and Vanessa answered in unison.
Silver crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at him.
He could tell she wanted to go off on them, remind them she could take care of herself, but
Jersey
took impatience to a new level.
If Jack didn’t start walking,
Jersey
would flip out and do something they’d all regret.
Jack started forward.
He lifted a hand, bent his fingers three times to motion for
Jersey
to join him.
Cold, his knuckles hurt as if they weren’t meant to bend.
They met in the middle of the cemetery.
In the back of his mind a tiny voice reminded Jack that his grave was nearby.
He pushed the thought down, not wanting to jinx this exchange.
The second
Jersey
reached him it began to rain.
At least it wasn’t pouring.
Not yet.
Large drops fell in a steady sprinkle that would eventually soak through clothing to dampen the skin, and there was just enough of a chill in the air to make it unbearable.
For over a month Jack prayed for relief from the intense heat.
Why did the weather have to comply now?
Jersey
’s lips stretched thin, tight.
He looked horrible, even for a werewolf.
There were dark circles beneath his eyes as if he hadn’t slept since losing Blanca.
In a gruff voice, laced with raw emotion he said, “Seems you can’t follow the simplest of directions.
Why am I not surprised?”
“It couldn’t be helped.
Where is Billy?”
“Where is Blanca?”
Jack glanced over his shoulders at the others.
Ian immediately set the box on the ground.
Knocking the lid off, he pulled Blanca out by the scruff of her neck and dangled her in the air.
With his other hand he produced a knife.
Holding the blade near the cat’s neck he shouted, “One wrong move, Clifford, and the feline dies.”
This hadn’t been part of the original plan.
Jack’s blood cooled as he waited for
Jersey
’s reaction to the threat.
He wished Ian wouldn’t improvise.
His father didn’t know
Jersey
like Jack did.
Ian didn’t know what
Jersey
was capable of, or maybe he did know and just didn’t care.
